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The differences between information security engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an information security engineer and an engineer. Additionally, an information security engineer has an average salary of $97,288, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for an information security engineer include infrastructure, incident response and security tools. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Information Security Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,288 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $46.77 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 120,257 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An information security engineer specializes in designing and developing systems to protect company and customer data from hackers or any cyber attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments to identify their needs, assess existing programs to identify any areas needing improvement, monitor network and system for any problems, and implement preventive measures for protection. Should there be any breaches, it is essential to resolve them right away and conduct an investigation to prevent it from happening again. Furthermore, it is necessary to assist employees in utilizing security systems to ensure smooth workflow.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Information security engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,288 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an information security engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between information security engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.6% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |